Windows Installer Basics: Merge Modules |
A merge module is a way of making parts of an MSI reusable so that you can easily produce a "part" that others can use in their MSI. You should always look for merge modules for external vendor files such as "msvcr80.dll", if a merge module exists always use it!
You can use the "MergeModule command" to include merge modules and see the "Making Merge Modules" section for details about creating them in MAKEMSI.
Some (relatively few) merge modules require configuration.
Most merge modules seem to be badly written and at a minimum you can expect many validation messages (errors as well as warnings), see the "Common Merge Module Issues" section for a list of issues I have seen.
Links to Merge Module Resources |
Some links to merge module related resources and downloads are: